Vertical drop stapling machine



April 4, 1961 B. E. sHLEslNGER, JR 2,977,599 VERTICAL DROP STAPLINGMACHINE Filed Sept. 28, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR www fafa@Jiffy/Mfg Je April 4, 1961 B. E. SHLESINGER, JR 2,977,599

VERTICAL DROP STAPLING MACHINE Filed sept. 28. 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.April 4, 1961 B. E. sHLEslNGER, JR 2,977,599

VERTICAL DROP STAPLING MACHINE Filed Sept. 28, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 5United States Patent()Vi 2,917,599 Y vERrreAL DROP srAPLmG MACHINEBernard Edward Shlesinger, Jr., 906 Bruce Lane, Annandale, Ya. Y

' Filed Sept. 28, 1959, Ser. No. 842,936

l1s claims. (ci. 1-106) This invention relates to an improvementinvstapling machines, punches and the like of the type generally re-Vferred to as desk staplers or punches, in which the staplmg or punchingaction is 'caused to occur in a horizontal p ane.

Present machines are limited to the vertical. stapling of stacked sheetsof the material to be bound bythe staples. The use of these machines inthe process of s'tapling sheets in the manner that the sheets of apatent copy are stapled require the following steps: i

(l) Manually stacking the sheets into aligned order,

(2) Guiding the sheets into the proper spatial arrangement between thestaple guide and the staple anvil, andV (3)1The actual stapling actionby the stapler on a vertical p ane.

It is an object of this invention to providea `stapling machine whichwill effectively eliminate thesecond'step of the aforementioned staplngprocess. The'elimination of this step `will result in the saving of timeand in the reduced expenditure 'of energy on the part of the operator.'

It is a further object of this invention to provide a stapling machinewhich is `equipped with arvertically adjustable paper support plateforvarying the `distance from the edge of the stacked sheets at which thestaple enters the sheets.

Another object of this invention is to provide a stapling machine whichwill have a horizontally acting staple driver which is coupled with anactuating mechanism operated by a vertically applied force.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a stapling machinewhich is composed of connected unitary `structures of essentially thesame configuration, which stapling machine may be used to staple threeormore staples along the edge of a bundle of stacked sheets in onesimultaneous operation. v i

Another object of this invention is to provide a stapling machine whichmay be manually or power operated and in which variatons of thecombination of the unitary structures may be singly actuated througheither a manual mechanism or a power driven mechanism.

These and other objects and advantages of this invention will beapparent from the following description and claims.

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate by way of example variousembodiments of this invention:

Fig. 1 is aside elevation of a stapling machine embodying this inventionand showing the stapler in rest position (solid lines) and instapling-engagement (dottedlines) two sectional views are `shown one toshow the spring ice arrangement and the other to` show the paper holdingattachment of the anvil;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view along the line -2` 2 with part` of the top ofthe stapler in sectional view;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view along the line 4 4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of a power driven variation of the stapilngmachine in this invention;

Fig. 6 is a top elevation of a combination of two unitary. staplersoperated by a single actuating mechanism; and

.Figure 7 is an exploded perspective view of the stapling machine inthis invention.

The stapling machine as shown in Figures 1 and 7 com--l prises broadly abase member 10, a staple anvilt20, a rear nected re-entrant U-shapedgroove members 16 (Fig. 3).V

These U-shaped members I6 which are integrally connected to the topmostedge of the side shoulders 14 have the bottom portions of theU-shaped'members 16 spaced from each other and the whole of the basemember 10 being constructed so that a plane through the elongatedunderplate 12 is parallel to the plane through the topmost horizontalplates of the U-shaped groove'me'mbers 16. Base 10 has wedge-shaped footpads 1'7 and 19 thereon.

The staple anvil'20 consists of a base plate 21 which is connected tothe elongated underplate 12 of the base member 10 by a portion22'through a vertical portion 23. To this base plate 21 at the two outercorners are `connected two vertical slide posts`24 which slidably engagethe distal edges of front plate 25 to which is attached normally theretoa papersupport plate 26 which functions as the stop "for the sheets ofmaterial to be bound by the staple. A staple clinching anvil 27 isprovided with the conventional staple clinchingV grooves and isconnectedin a rigid fashion to the slide posts 24 (Fig. 4) and is provided with arivet 27a which slides in slot 25a disposed in the center of front plate25. An element of adjustability is included in the staple anvil 29through the use of spring pin 28 secured to one of the side posts 24 andengaging the serrated edgev 29 of front plate 25. As the plate is raisedand lowered by means of the bent-over portion of front plate 25 and asufficient vertical force applied to this bent-over portion will resultin the spring pin 28 jumping from one groove to the next in the serratededge 29 thus providing a vertically adjustable paper support plate 26.Through this means the sheets of material to be stapled may be stapledat various distances from the edge ofthe bundle.

The rear support 30 is attached to the opposite end of the base member10 to which the staple anvil 20 is attached. This rear support consistsofthe following elements which are all integrally connected; ahorizontal rectangular plate 32, two diametrically opposed side plates34, two retainer plates 36, and end plate 38, and a spring housing 40.The horizontal rectangular plate 32 is disposedin a horizontal plane,parallel to the underplate of PatenteclApr. 4, 1961 said base member andabove the topmost portion 16 vof the base member 10. The side plates 34depend from the longitudinal edges of said horizontal rectangular plate32 and are attached normal thereto. From the lowermost edges of each ofthese depending side plates 34 are integrally and normally connected theretainer plates 36 which are disposed in a plane parallel to a planepassing through said horizontal rectangular plate 32. The end plate 38is connected normal to the major part of the rear support 30 and normalto the horizontal rectangular plate 32, the two depending side plates34, and the two retainer plates 36. The end plate 38 integrally contactsthe end of the base member 10 and the end of the rear support 30 byextending over the end areas of those two elements. The end plate 38 isfurther provided with a pivotal connection means 39 at the topmost partto be used for the anchoring of the actuating means 60.

The spring housing 40, containing major spring 41, of the rear supportmember 30 is integrally connected to the end of the rectangular plate 32opposite the end connected to the end plate 38 and consists of a topplate 42 which is a continuation of the horizontal rect-angular plate32, a stop plate 43 which is disposed integrally and normally to the endof the top plate 42, two vertical side plates 44 which are positionedalong the longitudinal edges of the top plate 42 and are connectedcontinuously from the end of the top plate furthest from the end plate38 to within a short distance of the horizontal rectangular plate 32,two positioning members 45 (Fig. 3) which are integrally and normallyconnected to the lowermost edges of the two vertical side plates 44, andtwo runners 46 which are positioned normally and integrally from theseinside edges of the positioning members 45. These runners are soconstructed as to movably engage onto the topmost portion of the basemember 10. The distance between the spring housing 40`and the remainderof the real support 30 is such as to provide for the restrictedreciprocating movement of carriage 50 within this distance. The majorportion of the rear support 30 acts as the backstop for this reciprocalmotion and the spring housing 40 acts as the forward stop. Retainerplates 36 of the rear support are so positioned as to slidbly engage theU-shaped members 16, of the `base memer 10.

l The general appearance of the carriage 50 is that of an elongated boxwhich is square in cross-section and has a slot running the entirelength of the carriage positioned in the center of one of the sides. Thecarriage 50 consists of a cover plate 52 to which is attached at thelon# gitudinal edges thereof two integrally and normally connected bodyplates V53 to which are integrally and normally connected the two slideplates 54. The two slide plates 54- have their innermost edges separatedas shown in Figure 7. Near the center portion of cover plate 52 thereare stamped out so that they depend at right angles to the surface ofthe cover plate, spring stops 55 which engage the pair of secondarysprings 74. At the end of the carriage 50 which is positioned betweenthe spring housing 40 of the rear support 30 and the remainder of therear support, there are three integrally and normally connected to the`body plate 53, retainer tabs 56. The cover plate 52 at this same end ofthe carriage is provided with two longitudinal slots 57 disposed fromthe vend of the carriage 50 a short distance into the cover plate 52.This pair of slots is to permit the motion of the actuating means 60through the connecting links 66.

At the opposite end of the carriage 50 there 'is a staple opening 58which is positioned so as to receive the staples from staple magazine 80onto the staple driver guide 59 which is a small block positioneddirectly below the cover plate 52 under the staple opening 58 and isdisposed below the underside of the cover plate S2 a distance greatenough to permit sliding of the staple S. This. staple driver guide 59may have a short extending portion in the form of an integrallyconnected plate connected on -a plane with Vthe topmost surface of thestaple driver rest as shown in Figure 7.

As shown in Figure 3, the slide plates 54 of the carriage 50 engage theU-shaped member 16 in the topmost slots of the base member 10 inslidable engagement. The reciprocating motion of the carriage 50 alongthe U-shaped members 16 of the base member 10 is limited by theinteraction of the tabs 56 with the spring housing 40 as a front restand with-the remainder of the rear support 30 as a backrest.

In detail the actuating means 60 of the staple driving machine of theinstant invention consists of a pressure button 62 and two pairs ofsupporting links 64 and 66 respectively. One end of the pair ofsupporting links 64 are connected to the pivotal connection means 39 onthe end plate 38 of the rear support 30 while the other end of this samepair of supporting links 64 is pivotally connected to the underside ofthe pressure button 62. Adjacent to the connection of the pair ofsupporting links 64 is a second pivotal connection means disposed on theundersurface of the pressure button 62 adapted to contact the pair ofsupporting links 66 which have their opposite end pivotally connected tothe end of the staple driver 70.

Staple driver 70 is disposed immediately below the cover plate 52 andimmediately above top plate 42 of the spring housing 40 of the rearsupport 30. This staple driver consists of a unitary member having inaddition to the driver portion a thickened back portion and a relativelythin narrow middle portion 72 which is of substantially smaller lateraldimension than the remainder of the staple driver and said narrowportion 72 being disposed in the center of the staple driver so as toprovide openings along the edge of the driver, 70, for the pair ofsecondary springs 74. The back portion of the staple driver, 70, isequipped with a pivotal connection means 76 which engages the end of thepair of supporting links 66 of the actuating means 60.

The staple magazine 80 consists of a U-shaped bracket 82, the whole ofthis U-shaped bracket being placed within a larger bracket 84 and havingthe back of this smaller U-shaped bracket 82 integrally fixed to theinside surface of the back of the larger U-shaped bracket 84. The largerbracket 84 is provided with retainer lips 86, which provide a hold-infunction for the staples S. The space on either side portion of thesides of the smaller bracket 82 and along the front portion of the sidesof that bracket is designed to receive the staple S. The retainer lips86 of the larger U-shaped bracket 84 partially enclose the back side ofthe staples S. This staple magazine 80 is positioned directly over thestaple-shaped staple opening 58 of the carriage 50 and integrally attached to the carriage 50 so that it moves simultaneously with thecarriage. The staple magazine 80 is so positioned over staple opening 58so as to provide free passage for the staples S, from the magazine 80through the opening 58 and onto the staple rest plate 59.

The staples S are urged and held in pressure contact with the stapledriver guide 59 through means of a spring attachment 90 which iscomposed of a casing which consists of two end cover plates and onecurved housing plate 92; a non-rotating pin 93 which is centered andxedly attached to each of the two end cover plates 91, these two platesbeing separated the width of the curved housing plate 92; a flat stripcoil spring 94, one end of which is integrally connected to thenon-rotating pin 93. The main body of the spring 94 is coiled within thecasing of the spring attachment 90 and on the opposite end of the spring94 is connected a staple pusher 9S.

The staple pusher 95 consists of a connecting plate 96; a butterflyhandle 97. This buttery handle 97 1s integrally and normally connectedto the flat surface of the connecting plate 96 and is adapted to beengaged by the thumb and foretinger of the operator to load the staplecartridge with a new supply of staples when necessary. The staple pusherfurther consists of two depending pusher plates 98 which are shaped incross section as angular S-shapes-and are integrally and normallyconnected to the connecting plate 96. This angular S-shapedconfiguration of the depending pusher plates 98 is adapted to enter thespace created by the configuration o'f the enclosed U-shaped bracket 82and the larger U-shaped bracket 84 of the staple magazine 80. Further,the staple pusher 95 has an end tap 99 which is connected at rightangles to the connecting plate 96. This end tap 99 slidably engages thechannel portion of the inside smaller U-shaped bracket 82 of the staplemagazine 80.

Modifications Figure 5 shows essentially the same type of staplingmachine as described in the above specification and as shown in Figures1 and 7 except that the actuating means provided for here is a solenoid100 connected to the staple driver 70 and is operated by a power source101 through the switch 102. This switch 102 isactuated by the weight ofthe bundle of sheets 103 to be stapled together and thus providing anautomatic stapling machine. The paper only needs to be placed in thespace provided immediately in front of the staple stop 27 in order to bestapled due to the weight of the paper closing the switch 102 whichcompletesv the circuit to solenoid 100 from power source 101, saidsolenoid 100 operating staple driver 70 which then shoves a staple S,through the bundles of sheets 103 and completes in one operation theentire staplingprocess.Y Y

Figure 6 shows an alternate configuration of the stapling .machine ofthe instant invention and in this configuration pressure button 62 ofthe actuating means 60 actuates a plurality of staple drivers 70, asshown here, two staple drivers. The action of this configuration of theinstant stapling machine is that by depressing the pressure plate 62 thesupporting link 105 is caused to move the push ring 106 in a forwarddirection. The staple drivers are mounted in carriages 50, in the samemanner as set forth in Figs. 1 and 7 and the forward motion provided bypusher rod 107 is similar to the motion provided by supporting link 66of the actuating means 6 0 of Figs. 1 and 7. As vertical force isapplied to pressure button 62, the force is transmitted into horizontalmotion through supporting link 105 and caused to move push ring 106 in aforward direction. Rear supporting link 104 is pivotally connected atboth ends thereof and acts as the fixed supportfor said pressure button.As shown in Figure 6, `a turn-buckle 108 is rotatably mounted on theinside of push ring 106 and is connected to the two pusher rods 107 toprovide a lateral adjustment for those rods. As the turnbuckle 108 isrotated the oppositely threaded portions 109 of the pusher rods 107 arepulled closer together or moved further apart depending on the directionof rotation. As pusher rods 107 are moved outwardly (for example) the4carriages 50 are also moved outwardly by reason of the movement of thesliding plates 110 to which the carriages 50 are attached. Thesetworsliding plates 110 are disposed in slidable engagement Within vbasebracket 111 and these plates-are supported on their outer corners bypads 117-. Depended. Vfrom base bracket 111 is rear support 30.

The operation of the slapling machine The o-peration of the instantinvention is as follows: Pressing the pressure button 62 as shown inFigures `.l and 7 after placing the sheets of material to be stap-led onthe paper rest plate 26, the carriage 50 is caused to move forward byreason of the force applied to the pressure button 62 acting through thepair of secondary on either side of said drive The opposite end ofspring 41 rests against theend plate*l 43 of the spring housing 40. Thefrontmost portion of the carriage 50 is thus urged into contact with thebundle of sheets to be stapled and at this point furtherv force appliedto pressure button 62 causes the pair of sec ondary springs 74 tocompress as the staple driver 70 moves forward. The pair of secondarysprings 74 being compressed between the rear portion of the stapledriver and the-spring stops 59. The staple driver 70 thus moves forwardagainst the spring action of both the secondary springs 74 and the majorspring 41 and into contact with'the staple S which is alined adjacent tothe topmost surface of the staple rest 59 and the front end of thestaple driver 70 then shears the staple S away from the remaining columnof the staples and forces the staples S through the sheet of material tobe stapled. The action of the staple once through the paper is that ofbeing folded and compressed in the conventional manner against a stapleclinching anvil 27.

The carriage 50 as it slides along the U-shaped members 16 of the basemember 10 is confined in this move-V ment by the action of slide plates54 engaging the longitudinal slots of these U-shaped members 16.Through-V out this operation the rear support member 30 is rigidlyvfixed to the base member 10 through the connection of end plate 38 withthe ends of both the base member 10 and the rear support 30. Inaddition, the rear support 30 is anchored by means of retainer plates 36engaging the U-shaped members 16 of the base member 10.

It is also to be noted 'that the actuation means of Figure 5 may be,employed to actuate a plurality of staple drivers 70 as shown in Figure6 and further to be noted that the word plurality as used herein meansany number greater than l and is not limited to'two staple drivers asdepicted in Figure 6.

While the invention has been described in connection with differentembodiments thereof, it will be understood that it is capable of furthermodification, and this application is intended to cover any variations,uses or adaptations of the invention following, in general, theprinciples of the invention and including such departures from thepresent disclosure as come within the known or customary practice in theart to which the invention pertains,.and as may be applied to theessential features hereinbefore set forth and as fall Vwithin the scopeof the invention or the limits of the appending claims.

Having thus described my invention what I claim is:

1. A stapling machine comprising a horizontally extending base member,an anvil vertically mounted on one end of said base member, an actuatingmeans mounted on the opposite end of said base member, a carriagemounted on said base member and horizontally slidable with respectthereto between said anvil and said actuating means, and a staple driverdisposed within said carriage and horizontally reciprocableindependently of said slidable carriage and horizontally movable withrespect to said base-member, a iirst spring means mounted within aportion of said base member and reacting between said base member andsaid carriage, said first spring means mounted entirely Within saidcarriage in a plane parallel to the direction of reciprocation of saidstaple driver, a second spring means mounted entirely within saidcarriage and reacting between said staple driver and said carriage in aplane parallel to the direction of reciprocation of said staple driver,said first and second spring means in close proximityrto one another,whereby when said actuation means is activated said carriage first movesforward until movement is restricted by said anvil and then said stapledriver moves forward to perform the stapling action.

2. A stapling machine asin claim 1 wherein said second spring meansincludes a pair of coil springs mounted 3. A stapling machine comprisinga horizontally extending base member, an anvil vertically mounted on oneend of said base member, an actuating means mounted on the opposite endof said base member, a carriage mounted on said base member andhorizontally slidable with respect thereto between said anvil and saidactuating means, and a staple driver disposed within said carriage andhorizontally reciprocable independently of s'aid slidable carriage andhorizontally movable with respect to said base member, said base memberhaving a rectangular under plate horizontally disposed, side shouldersperpendicularly connected to said under plate along the longitudinaledges thereof, U-shaped groove members integrally connected to thetopmost edge of said side shoulders, said U-shaped groove membersconnected to said side shoulders by one of the open edges thereof andhaving the sides disposed horizontally and said U-shaped grooved membershaving a bottom portion thereof spaced from each other, said carriagehaving slide plates disposed in said U-shaped members for slidingengagement of said carriage upon said base member.

4. A stapling machine comprising a horizontally extending base member,an anvil vertically mounted on one end of said base member, an actuatingmeans mounted on the opposite end of said base member, a carriagemounted on said base member and horizontally slidable with respectthereto between said anvil and said actuating means, and a staple driverdisposed within said carriage and horizontally reciprocableindependently of said slidable carriage and horizontally movable withrespect to said base member, a rst spring means mounted within a portionof said base member and reacting between said base member and saidcarriage, said first spring means mounted entirely within said carriagein a plane parallel to the direction of reciprocation of said 'stapledriver, a second spring means mounted entirely within said carriage andreacting between said staple driver and said carriage, said verticallymounted anvil comprising a plurality of integrally connected platesconnected to the underside of said member through one of said connectedplates, two vertical slide posts integrally and normally attached to oneof said plates, a front plate slidably engaging said slide posts, apaper support plate disposed normally to and connecting said frontplate, a staple clinching anvil rigidly connected between said sideposts, said anvil having staple clinching grooves therein, said frontplate having a serrated edge, and one of said slide posts havingdisposed therein a spring urged pin positioned to engage said serratededge for holding said front plate from vertical motion, whereby whensaid actuation means is activated said carriage first moves forwarduntil movement is restricted by said anviliand then said staple drivermoves forward to perform the stapling action.

5. A stapling machine comprising a horizontally eX- tending base member,an anvil vertically mounted on one end of said base member, an actuatingmeans mounted on the opposite end of said base member, a carriagemounted on said base member and horizontally slidable with respectthereto between said anvil and said actuating means, and a staple driverdisposed within said carriage and horizontally reciprocableindependently of said slidable carriage and horizontally movable withrespect to said base member, a first spring means mounted within aportion of said base member and reacting between said base member andsaid carriage, said tirst `spring means mounted entirely within saidcarriage in a plane parallel to the direction of reciprocation of saidstaple driver, a second spring means mounted entirely within saidcarriage and reacting between said staple driver and said carriage, saidstapling machine having a rear support connected to said base member,said rear support comprising: a horizontal rectangular plate disposedparallel to the plane of said base member, two diametrically opposedsaid plates depending normally from said horizontal plate and integrallyattached thereto, two

retainer-plates attached normally and integrally to said side plates atthe lower edges thereof, an end plate vertically disposed and integrallycontacting the rearmost edges of said rectangular plate, said sideplates, and said retainer plates, and the rear end of said base member,and a spring housing integrally attached to the front end of saidhorizontal rectangular plate, said actuating means connected to saidrear support, whereby when said actuation means is activated saidcarriage tirst moves forward until movement is restricted by said anviland then said staple driver moves forward to perform the staplingaction.

6. A stapling machine comprising a horizontally eX- tending base member,a staple anvil vertically mounted on one end of said base member andhaving slidably axed thereto a paper support plate, a rear supportmember connected to said base member at the other end thereof, anactuating means mounted on said rear support, a carriage mounted on saidbase member and horizontally slidable with respect thereto between saidanvil and said rear support, and a staple driver disposed within saidcarriage and horizontally reciprocable Aindependently of said slidablecarriage and horizontally movable with respect to said base member, saidstaple driver pivotally connected to said actuating means, a springhousing integrally connected to said rear support and containing a majorspring, said spring resiliently restricting the slidable motion of saidcarriage between said rear support and said spring housing, said stapledriver having associated therewith a pair of secondary springs, saidslidable carriage having disposed therein a pair of springs stops, theforwardmost end of said pair of secondary springs resting against saidspring stops, said pair of secondary springs restricting the motion ofsaid staple driver with respect to said carriage, a staple magazinevertically disposed upon said slidable carriage and operating to forcestaples into the path of said staple driver, whereby upon said actuatingmeans being activated said staple driver is thrust forward and in turnimparts forward motion to said carriage which in turn compresses saidmajor spring while moving forward relative to said base member, uponsaid carriage being restricted at the forwardmost end of its motion bysaid staple anvil further forward motion is imparted to said stapledriver by reason of said pair of secondary springs compressing, allowingsaid staple driver to move forwardly relative to said carriage and intostapling action.

7. A stapling machine comprising a horizontally extending base member,an anvil vertically mounted on one end of said base member, an actuatingmeans mounted on the opposite end of said base member, a carriagemounted on said base member and horizontally slidable with respectthereto between said anvil and said actuating means, and a staple driverdisposed within said carriage and horizontally reciprocableindependently of said slidable carriage and horizontally movable withrespect to said base member, a first spring means mounted Within aportion of said base member and reacting between said base member andsaid carriage, said rst spring means mounted entirely within saidcarriage in a plane parallel to the direction of reciprocation of saidstaple driver, a second spring means mounted entirely within saidcarriage and reacting between said staple driver and said carriage, saidcarriage consisting of a cover plate horizontally disposed and spacedabove said base member, two body plates depending integrally andnormally from the longitudinal edges of said cover plate, two slideplates integrally and normally connected to said body plates at thelower edges thereof and having a space between the innermost unconnectededges thereof, a pair of spring stops depending from the bottom side ofsaid cover plate, a staple opening in one end of said carriage, aplurality of retainer tabs at the opposite end of said carriage anddepending normally from said body plates and said cover plate, twolongitudinal slots disposed on either side of the uppermost of saidretainer tabs, and a staple driver guide disposed within .said carriagebelow said staple opening, whereby when said actuation means is`activated said carriage first moves forward until movement isrestrictedby said anvil and then said staple driver moves forward toperform the stapling action.'

'8; A stapling machine comprising a horizontally extending `base member,an anvil vertically mounted on one end, of said base member, anactuating means mounted ori the opposite end of said base member, acarriage` mountcdonsa'id base member and horizontally slidable withrespecttthe'reto between said anvil and said actuating means, and astaple driver d isposed within said carriage and horizontallyreciprocable independently of said slidable carriage and horizontallymovable with respect to said base member, a first spring means mountedwithin -a portion of said base member and reacting between said basemember and said carriage in a plane parallel to the direction ofreciprocation of said staple driver, a second spring means mountedentirely within said carriage and reacting between said staple driverand said carriage, said actuating means consisting of a first pair ofsupporting links pivotally connected to said base member at one endthereof, a pressure button pivotally connected to the other end of saidfirst pair of supporting links, atsecond pair of supporting linkspivotally connected to said pressure button by one end thereof, saidsecond pair of supporting links being pivotally connected by the otherend thereof to the rearmost end of said staple driver, said pressurebutton disposed in a horizontal plane and presenting a surface for theapplication of vertical force, whereby when said actuation means isactivated said carriage first moves forward until movement is restrictedby said anvil and then said staple driver moves forward to perform thestapling action.

9. A stapling machine comprising a horizontally extending base member, astaple anvil vertically mounted on said base member, a carriage mountedon said base member Vand horizontally slidable with respect thereto, astaple driver disposed within said carriage and horizontallyreciprocable independently of said slidable carriage and horizontallymovable with respect to said base member, and means for electricallyactuating said staple driver, a first spring means mounted wholly withina portion of said base member and reacting between said base member andsaid carriage, said first spring means mounted within said carriage in aplane parallel to the direction of reciprocation of said staple driver,a second spring means mounted wholly within said carriage and reactingbetween said staple driver and said carriage in a plane parallel to thedirection of reciprocation of said staple driver, said first and secondspring means 4in close proximity to one another, whereby when saidactuation means is activated said carriage first moves forward untilmovement is restricted by said anvil and then said staple driver movesforward to perform the stapling action.

10. A stapling machine as defined in claim 9 wherein, said electricalactuating means is actuated by the weight of the material to be stapled.

l1. A stapling machine as defined in claim 9 wherein, said electricallyactuated staple driver means is placed in series with a switch and apower source, said switch being actuated by the weight of the materialto be stapled.

12. A stapling machine comprising a horizontal base, a plurality ofstaple anvils connected to one end of said base, a plurality of stapledrivers connected to said base and operating in a plane parallel to theplane of said base member, means for reciprocably actuating said stapledrivers, said actuating means reciprocable in a plane perpendicular tothe plane of said base member, said horlzontal base comprising acentrally disposed base bracket, two sliding plates disposed in aslidable engagement with said base bracket, corner pads disposed on theunder side of said sliding plates, and a rear support member connectedto one end of said base bracket.

13. A stapling'machine comprising a horizontal base,

Y l ul() l arplurality of staple anvils connected to one end of saidbase, a plurality ofstaple drivers connected to said base and operatingin a plane parallel to the plane of said base member, means forreciprocably actuating said staple drivers, said actuating meansreciprocable in a plane perpendicular to the plane of said base member,said actuating means comprising a rear supporting link pivotallyconnected to said horizontal base, a pressure button pivotally connectedto said real-'supporting link at the other end thereof, a frontsupporting link having one end thereof pivotallyconnected to saidpressure button, a push ring connected to the other end of said frontsupporting link, a turnbuckle rotatably mounted inside said push ring,one end`of each of two pusher rods adjustably connected to saidturnbuckle, the opposite end of said rod pivotally connected to saidplurality of staple drivers, said turnbuckle laterally adjusting saidpusher rods, said staple driver and said staple anvil.

14. A stapling machine comprising a horizontally extending base member,a staple anvil vertically mounted on oneend of said base member forreceiving staples movable in a horizontal plane, a rear support memberconnected to said base member on the end opposite the staple anvil end,an actuating means pivotally mounted on said rear support, a carriagemounted on said base member and horizontally slidable with respectthereto between said anvil and said rear support member, a staple driverdisposed within said carriage and horizontally reciprocableindependently of said slidable carriage and horizontally movable withrespect to said base member, said actuating means pivotally connected tosaid staple driver for translating vertical force applied to saidactuating means into horizontal force which then causes said stapledriver to move in a horizontal direction, a spring housing integrallyconnected to said rear support atthe end closer to said staple anvil byan extension of the top of said rear support, said spring housingcontaining a first spring, said spring resiliently restricting thereciprocable motion of said carriage between said rear support and saidspring housing, said staple driver having associated therewith a pair ofsecondary springs, said slidable carriage having disposed therein a pairof spring stops adapted to contact the forwardmost end of said secondarysprings for providing a forward abutment for said springs, a portion ofsaid staple driver providing a rearward abutment for said pair ofsprings, said pair of secondary springs providing for the resilientmotion of said staple driver with respect to said carriage, and a staplemagazine vertically disposed upon said slidable carriage and operatingto forcey staples into Vthe path of said staple driver from a verticaldirection.

15. In a horizontal stapling machine having a horizontally extendingbase member, a staple anvil vertically mounted on one end of said` basemember for receiving staples movable in a horizontal plane, a rearsupport member connected to said base member on the end opposite thestaple anvil end, an actuating means pivotally mounted upon said rearsupport, a carriage mounted on said base member and horizontallyslidable with respect thereto between said anvil and said rear supportmember, the combination comprising a staple driver having a narrowed midportion connected to said actuating means at the end opposite the endconnected to said rear support, a spring housing integrally connected tosaid rear support at the end closer to said staple anvil by an extensionof the top of said rear support, a first spring contained in said springhousing and reacting between the frontmost portion of said springhousing and the rearmost end portion of said carriage, said carriageresiliently slidable through the distance between said spring housingand said rear support, a pair of secondary springs positioned in thespaces on either side of said narrowed mid portion of said stapledriver, said carriage having a pair of said spring stops depending fromthe under surface 11 12 thereof providing for forward abutments for saidpair References Cited in thele of this patent of secondary springs, saidpair of secondary springs reacting between the rear portion of saidstaple driver and UNITED' STATES PATENTS said spring stops to providefor resilient reciprocable mo 333,943 Greenland J an. 5, 1886 tion ofsaid driver with respect to said carriage, whereby 5 1,152,719 EpsteinSept. 7, 1915 said rst spring is initially compressed upon the actuation1,344,441 Christensen June 22, 1920 of said actuating means to urge saidcarriage into forward 1,797,497 Francher Mar. 24, 1931 position, saidsecondary springs compressing upon further 2,403,947 Oussani July 16,1946 actuation of said actuating means after said carriage has 2,651,775Sasser Sept. 15, 1953 reached its forwardmost limit, said staple driverforced 10 2,899,679 Allen Aug. 18, 1959 forward as said secondarysprings are compressed. 2,905,941 Cook Sept. 29, 1959

